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World Hockey Association
sports league
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history of ice hockey
- In ice hockey: The National Hockey League
A new 12-team league, the World Hockey Association (WHA), was formed in 1972, and the ensuing rivalry caused an escalation in players’ salaries. In 1979 the NHL, which had grown to 17 teams, merged with the WHA to become a 21-team league; by 2017, 31 teams played in the NHL.…
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New England Whalers
- In Carolina Hurricanes
…a member of the upstart World Hockey Association (WHA). The Whalers’ most notable moment in those early years was the signing of 49-year-old hockey legend Gordie Howe in 1977 to play alongside his two sons for three seasons until his retirement in 1980. When the WHA’s financial struggles forced it…
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